Jack McDonald remains the only home standard bearing within hailing distance of the lead at the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge despite a combination that one would assume would be perfectly alien to visitors and at least bearable to Scots.
The misery of the Scottish summer seems unrelenting; after 36 hours of constant rain finally abated, it warmed up a little, inviting the midges to appear with a vengeance. But any idea these native deterrents would benefit the home hopes were dashed.
Just McDonald, the former Walker Cup player who doesn’t even have a Challenge Tour category, represents the host nation within the top 25 at Spey Valley.
The Troon player, in just his fourth start on the junior tour, shot an excellent five-under 66 but is still six behind the halfway leader, the experienced Swede Mikael Lundberg, who won three events in 10 years on the main tour.
Wales’ Richard James, the first round leader, is one behind while Scott Fernandez, the Spaniard with a great-grandmother from Glasgow who qualified for the Open at Royal Troon last year, is two back.
McDonald, who got an honours degree in Pure Maths when part of the golf programme at Stirling University, signed a pro deal with Chubby Chandler’s ISM group when he turned pro last year, but had a slow start due to wrist problems.
“Chubby has been very good with me, particularly through the spell I was out with the injury last year,” he said.
“He’s been there and done it so understood what I was going through and it is nice to be out there now playing some good golf to repay that.”
Now 24, Jack has been playing mostly Alps Tour but has now made the cut in three of the four Challenge Tour events he’s played.
“It’s taken a bit of getting used to in the professional game, I’m not playing on links all the time, the golf we play is through the air. But things are pretty good and I’m happy with my game.”
Jack finished strongly with a birdie at the last, hitting a six iron to six feet, but if he thinks the Challenge Tour is a tough school as a rookie, the veteran Lundberg, who added a 65 to his opening 67, confirms it from the other end of the age scale.
“When I played out here before, the standard was great and there were 15 to 20 guys who could win,” said the 43-year-old, who had the last of his three main tour wins at the Lyoness Open in Austria in 2013.
“The standard is the same now but there’s just so much more of them. I’d say there were 50 guys who can win now, and it’s much tougher.
“Plus they’re young kids hitting the ball miles and I can’t keep up, which makesd me very happy to have played so well here this week.”
Lundberg admits he’s mostly just passing time trying to stay competitive for the seniors, hoping that the age limit drops a couple of years.
“I’ve heard rumours, and it would make sense to do that,” he said. “Guys aren’t really competitive on the main tour from 45 to 50, and there’s a short window after you’re 50 for the senior tour. I think it would help both the players and the tour if it was 47 or 48 instead of 50.”
Wales’ Richard James continued his good form
Fernandez, from Granada, is pretty much at home in Aviemore as his other sport was skiing. He was good enough to be involved in the Spanish youth system at that sport before he decided it was too risky to be injured and detract from his golf.
“It’s nice to be playing in a ski resort and to go through all the shops in the town,” he said. “To win here would be very special because it’s Scotland where my name and my great grandmother came from, but there’s a long way to go yet.”
Fernandez qualified for the Open at Gailes last year but will give next week’s Final Qualifying tournament it a miss.
“I’ve had that experience, and it was cool, but I’d like to stick to my plan this year,” he said. “The Open last year was great, I had a practice round with Miguel Angel Jimenez which was a dream, but it took a lot of energy out of me.
“I guess it’s like having a night out; you enjoy it all right at the time, but you have to recover from it as well.”
Six more Scots made the cut, Grant Forrest making a fine comeback, his 68 yesterday repairing the damage of a four lost strokes in his first five holes on Thursday.
Scott Henry eagled the 17th to make the cut but Bradley Neil’s four-under 67 was just a shot too many to make the weekend.
